The best (and worst) of 2003

It's a 2003 extravaganza for our last episode before summer programming kicks in. 

The best and worst in Google search, the Time person of the year, billboard, iTunes and the ARIA charts, movies, television and even books! 

Brace yourself! 

Hang with us on socials to chat more noughties nostalgia - Facebook (@tminus20) or Instagram (tminus20podcast). You can also contact us there if you want to be a part of the show.

Transcript

Transcript is generated automatically

The year is 2003. Tom is your first friend on Myspace, 50 Cent costs a dollar on iTunes. The Terminator becomes the Governator and nobody can find those weapons of mass destruction t -, 20, rewind, 20 years. With Joe and Mel. 

Week of 14 December 2003. 

Welcome to what is almost the final T -, 20 for the year, as in wrapping up the year 2000 and three T -, 20. The podcast, of course, where we rewind to this week 20 years ago. Back in 2003 with your host. Joe and Mel. Hello, Mel. 

Hello we are rewinding to 14 to 20 December 2003, but we're gonna do things a little bit differently this week. We're doing kind of a best of 2003 where we look at. 

Right. 

The biggest singles, the biggest. Albums the most searched for. Entities on the old goods. 

Well, now that the GOOGS has established itself, it's got a foothold in popular culture. In 2003, it's getting easier to pull the show together, but it was still a slow Newsweek, which? 

It does. 

Is why we're doing this, right? 

Absolutely. We're also gonna. Look at the best and worst in. Movies and chat, TV, computer games, and the biggest selling book. Of 2003 as well. 

Do you know what I read it? I. 

Read this one I. Did read it, but I bought. I bought the version with pictures. I did I. 

Did what do you think the word of the? Year was back in 2003. Have a. 

Think of everything. 

That was going on this time 20 years ago. What possibly could be? The word of the year. 

I feel like it's probably Google, is that correct? 

Oh oh wow. I was. 

Really confident with that too, yeah. 

You were. You were. 

Hang on, let me have another think. 

OK. 

If it wasn't Google iTunes. 

No, we're talking a word that people used a lot of, not necessarily a thing, a word that it came out of a popular reality show. 

Ohh geez tribe. 

Involved makeovers? Judge. 

Yeah. No, I I don't know what it. Metrosexual. Ohh. 

Was the 2003 official word of the year, according to the American Dialect Society. 

Right the and. The torpedo torpedo was the poster boy for Metrosexuals back in the. 

My trusted source. For words of beer. 

Day Ian Thorpe. Remember that. 

Yeah, because it was the guys that used the hair products, the hair straighteners, the product, even used a little bit of skin. Care. Yeah. And concealer as well cover up a few zips. 

I I struggled with it now. Now they they actually look quite rugged metrosexuals by today's standards. I struggle with blokes who blow dry their hair. You just blow drying their hair. And also I think these days the pants that they wear. So they just kind of. 

Spray tan. 

Do you? 

Ohh they they taper in a lot. 

They cut the circulation off to. 

They are elasticised at the bottom, aren't they? 

Your calf muscles. Yeah, I'm just like. Like nice pants, guys. Do they come in, men. 

And no socks. Super serious. 

Yeah, no socks is is. I mean, I'm all for like, you know, some athletic socks that, you know, are just around. 

Umm, the ones that. 

The ankles and the. 

You hire. Damn no, these are definitely not. 

Socks, but no socks. That just screams. Foot fungus to me. That's like you gotta throw those shoes away. 

Well, back to words of the year online learning platform PREPLY released its 2023. Support of the most popular slang words for the youth of today. 

Ohh these days have we? OK, so we've done a little bit of this before like was it thinner? 

Yeah, well, that was the professor. 

With one dinner. 

I remember the professor kept a list. Of what his students used, so he he had a spreadsheet. 

Yeah. And I chuggy was the other one that I was chuggy, which was like, you think stuff's cool from, like, I don't know, 1020. So cute, right? 

Gee, yes. Yeah. No, they're not. They're not on this official list. So they surveyed 682 parents who had children between 12 and 18. 

This would be so embarrassing. Yeah. Hmm. 

To rank the top ten slang words, what do? You think number one was umm. 

For 2023. Ohh I I would not even I mean noob random. 

Uh, you're listing of 2000? 

And three. 

Well, that's. I don't. I'm old. 

Name was actually. 

In 2003, that's great. 

Jesus. Thus let's come back. It's come back. Nothing. SUS bet. As in alright bet. 

Stuff such was #1 that's. Swedish It's come full circle. Alright there is. 

It's very much a like a hip. Hop word, isn't it? You know when they say they're gonna do something, let's go and do this. It's like, alright. Bet like. Yeah, you bet. 

Oh oh, so not like betting someone ohh. 

Now we're gonna do it, yeah. 

Out of that, Yeats is still around. I feel like it's been around for about. 

Yeah, yeah. 

Five years now. 

It it has, it's it. It's in wrestling at the moment. So like Cody Rhodes and Jay USO are using the word yet a little bit. And Randy Orton's back and he's it's amazing how much wrestling trends on. 

So the wrestlers have. Kept eating. Yeah, it's a cool device. 

They they're using yeast as a. Full term, but wrestling seems to really infiltrate social platforms like or maybe it's the algorithm pushing it to me because they're like hey, he's a moron, let's send him wrestling stuff, but I I don't know. I see wrestling stuff all the time and they've been using the word yeet. Quite a lot recently so. 

Salty that's been around for a while as well. You're cranky, cheesy. I can say it cheesy. 

Salty, which means that you're cranky. Yes. Yeah, that suits my demeanour. Yes, cap, cap. What's as in like, that's enough cap. No, it's just like cap it off. Like, that's it. The end. Like, put a cap on it. That's what I don't know. 

I don't know. 

In your arms. Oh, OK, that would make sense. Bustin bougie. 

Ohh Boston. 

Sheesh. Sheesh. Sheesh feels. Like something that was in like a an 80s sitcom. 

Something like sheets like shaggy from Scooby Doo you used to. 

Or Alf did Alf say? Sheesh. 

Say when he was confronted. Now, he said, no problem. 

And drip, drip is. Drip an insult? I'm thinking drip might be. 

As in, stop being a. Drip or is it has it? Got to do with good looking people like thirst. Craps. Do you know what I mean? 

Ohh you're a trip. 

I don't know. 

I think it's mean. 

You're you're a snack. You're a snack. 

I think in Spain, I think Trumpism. 

Yeah, you're looking delicious in your Christmas shirt over there at the moment. 

Thank you. I've. I've embraced. I've embraced the theme, dressing in my old age so too. So back to 2003, the slang words back then. 

Very festive. 

Noob was one. OK, great. Excellent. Ohh, see, I'm a man out of time. 

Bling bling. 

Bling. Bling bling. 

Two blinks. Bling bling. Yeah. OK, that was in chillax. Was a big one back. 

Chillax. I hate that word. I hate it when people use it, cause it's like it's when people tell you to calm down and it's like like, you know, when you're irate and you get told to calm down and it's like the worst thing that somebody can do to you is like, tell you to, like, don't tell me to calm down. I feel like they doubled down on that. If they tell you to chillax, like, mate. 

In 2003. 

Chillax. It's like. OK, I was. I was visualising killing you in my mind and I was never gonna action that that actual fantasy. But now that you've told me to chillax, I am going. To kill you. 

That's hot for obvious reasons. Was up. Maybe we're still hanging on to that one from Budweiser. 

That's not from Paris, of course. Well, yeah, after the commercial, yeah. 

Sketchy. I like sketchy. He's been a bit sketchy. 

I still use that I. 

I'm like. 

Still feel that? 

And I see what you did there. Remember that? See what you did there. 

Ohh I see what you. Did there hmm? Yeah. Do you mate? Mm-hmm. 

People still use that and you just. That's cringe. That's cringe only drips only drips. Say that these days I see. What? 

Yeah. Chillax. It's creedence. Really. OK. Awesome. Yeah, that's it's funny how out of touch I feel even hearing the two. 

You did there. 

1003 words. OK, Hatch match dispatch clue. This is the last hatch match and dispatch clue we're gonna do for the year because we're gonna do a couple of best of next episodes for the next couple of episodes. So. So stick around for those. They'll be a snack. 

For the pair of. 

Trips. Yeah. So if you haven't joined us before. What the hell have you been doing? But at the end of each episode, we have the hatches, matches and dispatcher segment. You know it works. We we're gonna do a clue now. We're gonna play a sound bite from someone that you can just guess in your own mind. Play along at home with Gamifying the content or doing whatever the. What I'm trying to think of a word that doesn't make me sound like a noob eating oh, we're throwing it away, are we? No, we're throwing it out. We're eating it. 

Way diesel. 

We're throwing it out there. We're eating. We're eating. Your clue is that. 

Out there. Ohh my. 

God, there's everyone. Everyone under the age of about 45. Just unsubscribe. Yeah, OK. So, anyway, here's the. 

Right. Is that right? 

Clue for somebody who is having a birthday. 

Umm, up until I was 20. 

You know, I was told that I wouldn't live to see 20. 

This shows. 

Wow, that was quick. I was having a suite of beer I nearly choked with it. I'll play it again. Up until I was 20, you know, I was told that I. 

Wouldn't live to see 20. 

Yeah, that voice is quite. 

Obvious it's a very recognisable voice from the early 2000s. Having a birthday we'll check in and find out who that. 

Very distinctive. All right. 

Is at the end of the programme. 

So we are looking at the best of the best for two. 1003. And we're starting with the time person. Of the year. 

Time person of the year Time magazine is one of those magazines that I kind of like. I still read it from time to time. Usually when I'm at the doctor's. 

Yes, yes. And it's usually about 10 years old, isn't? 

Yes, yes, which is fine. As a matter of fact, if I had gone to the doctor's mall, we might have been. 

It yes, Greenfield corners. Bitter fruits salesman. 

Able to find some more content for the show. 

I do like time personally because there is so much. Thought that goes into it, and it's always fascinating to see where they land with it. And I think 2002, we. Had the whistleblowers 2001 we had. Rudy Giuliani after yeah. 

Yes, for September 11. But also they don't necessarily choose the person of the year based on popularity. It's more about how much I guess exposure. Attention, controversy. They've caught it. It's it's usually the person who is the most front of mine in the, I guess. And I wanna say probably the western world, the psyche of the western world at the time. Yeah. 

So for 2003, it was the American soldier. They called it the American soldier, but it was to represent the US forces around the world, especially in the Iraq war, which was obviously top of mind across the news for most of 2003, the 1.4 million men and women. In the US military. Who invaded Iraq and captured Saddam Hussein? 

You know, this year the easy decision was what was the big story? We knew that we would have to find a way of telling the story of the war through an individual or individuals. It could have been President Bush. It could have been Don Rumsfeld. Ultimately, we decided that the story to tell us the story of the people who are responsible for executing the decisions that were made. And that's the American soldier. What we wanted to do was something that is very difficult. And it turns out dangerous to do, which is to get very close to the life of a soldier on the line and see the kinds of decisions they're being asked to. Make see the. Way in which policy that's made very far away from them ultimately falls into their hands to make real and to execute. 

There's actually a really fascinating article that they did in that particular issue of Time magazine. That was the editor Nancy Gibbs, who was speaking there. And she also, like you heard no matter who those movers and shakers were, it could have been those big political, the the people that were front of mind. Were the troops. Now you think about how we did the Thanksgiving thing. We talked about the Thanksgiving thing. With George Bush coming to visit the troops, peoples enthusiasm for the US presence in Iraq and the Allies presence in Iraq was waning. But what I don't think was waning was the compassion, the sympathy, the respect for the troops that were over there doing the work. And the authors were like, these are the people who are bearing the brunt of all of the decisions that are being. Being made amongst the allies in the White House, you know, British Parliament, even in Australia. 

This year, she also went on to say it was a year when it felt at times as if there were, we had nothing. In common. Anymore. And we were all united in this hope that the men and women at arms might come home soon, safely, because their job was done. They were the bright, sharp instrument of a blunt policy. I like that. 

Yeah, it's pretty telling and I think it's, it's the kind of journalism that retrospectively stands up today because it's like, yeah, you were right, you know. Yeah. Yeah. So, I mean, this is the stuff that had dominated the war, Saddam Hussein. This was every news bulletin. Through the latter half of 2003, actually, probably through all of 2003. Yeah, they'd mobilised and they were over there and it was just every single night on the news. 

I'm a start actually. 

And like I said before, that fatigue was kicking in. But what I don't think had waned was the compassion or the sentiment that was overwhelmingly positive towards people who are over there serving. And it's it's such. A hard thing to I guess balance out because obviously the people that are over there serving have as much exposure to media. Year as what we do in that day and age, because there is the Internet and there are things that they can see and hear. So it's easier for news to travel back and forth. And I mean, even even when you went on to Google when they did the, the I feel I'm feeling lucky thing. 

Do you remember this? I remember doing it. Yeah. Yeah. You type in weapons of mass destruction. 

That's right. 

And it's like I'm feeling lucky, Google. 

Yeah. And it takes you to a site and it says can't find weapons of mass destruction. It says these weapons of mass destruction cannot be displayed. The weapons you are looking for are currently unavailable. The country might be experiencing technical difficulties, or you may need to adjust your weapons inspectors mandate. Now. That's a private company. 

That's a big deal for them to make. 

It that's pretty. 

Bold for them to do that. 

Well, it keeps going on cause you know how it's like when they do a 404, it's like try the following. It's like you might try the following, click the regime change button or try again later. If you are George Bush and type the country's name in the address bar, make sure. That it is spelled correctly, Iraq. Dear it and it goes on and on. 

I remember to the page ledge and I bought it. It was a T-shirt. It LED you to a purchase site and it was. What was it? My friends went to Iraq looking for the weapons of mass destruction, but all they could find was this lousy T shirt. 

Yes, outstanding. 

Yes, well, Speaking of Google. Hmm, the other thing that we should probably talk about is the and. And this was the greatest thing about 2003. Is the the the trail. The digital footprint is getting bigger so it's easier to actually find content for the show. Like I was saying before. So we have the top Google searches. Everyone was on Google at this stage it it was starting to become or has become the dominant search engine. So so the top Google searches for. 2003 #10 the Tour de France. 

That's interesting because it wasn't a particularly momentous I think it was a milestone one, but it wasn't. There was no massive controversy. We still hadn't busted Lance. 

I think well. No, it wasn't. It wasn't massive controversy, but it was the fact that Lance Armstrong was so dominant in the Tour de France and had such a profile. And you gotta remember like Nike were behind him. Yeah, all the Livestrong stuff was happening. It was the story of him beating testicular cancer and then coming back to win. And all of those things. 

At this stage. 

Ohh yeah. 

Ohh that's true. 

So that really did bring the Tour de France front and centre. #9 was the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case, which we spoke about earlier on in the year. 

Kobe Bryant is innocent of the charges that were filed against him today. He stands falsely accused. Falsely accused of an extremely serious. Time, a crime that carries with it the potential of a life sentence. 

Yeah, it was bad audio. It was 2003. I think somebody might have been standing on the cable, so it wasn't great. 

2003 analogue and plugged it in properly. That was #9. #8 was Lord of the Rings and obviously we had the final installment coming out towards the end of 2003. 

Yes. Well, it's one of the, I think at the time the biggest movie franchise of all time. 

So that was pretty big. 

And people are trying. 

To get the scoop ahead of the release, obviously and #7 no surprises here. Actually, I'm surprised this wasn't higher up. I'm surprised it was just #7. 

Right. Iraq. Well, they're probably using Google to search for weapons of mass destruction and then getting that message. So maybe that added to it, I don't know. Or maybe it was the fact that they were at least instructed to spell it correctly. Yeah. $0.50 our North Star's number six in the in the top ten, maybe. I I would have liked to see him. 

Should have been number one well. 

Maybe higher up than Dave. Beckham, who came #5 in the top ten Google search. 

There was a bit going on with him though, because he was dropped from Manchester United and there was a lot of speculation that he was going to join Barcelona, but he ended up joining Real Madrid. I think in July 2003, so there was a bit of brouhaha around the old backs. 

Well there, I mean, he was at a stage in his career where he was much more of a celebrity than anything. We spoke about this also earlier on in the podcast this month about the the Beckham documentary on Netflix, which is just a wonderful time capsule of the early 2000s because he was such a pivotal pop culture figure. 

And you wanna talk metrosexual hair? Amazing. 

Well, hello. Like he was, he would have. I mean, between him and Ian Thorpe. 

Was a hair influencer a Helen Metzler? 

Yes, they, I mean imagine him and Ian Thorpe getting together at a dinner party and comparing hair products. And can I borrow your straightener? What sort of blow dryer are you? 

I borrow you straight, my niece. France attack? That's a great bargain. On one of those really big hairsprays the the extra 20%. 

Yeah, yeah. All the blokes have stopped going to Lowe's and now they're going to price attack because of David Beckham. And Ian thought Shakira's number four because of the tour of the Mongoose that was happening. 

In May that she did, and I think she. 

Released. Did she? Release the Spanish. Album in 2003 and. I think she did the best of as well, so she's doing a lot of stuff. 

She does not age. Have you seen her recently? She looks exactly the same. Yes, she's. I think she's a demon. 

No, I know. 

Like Beyoncé Speaking of well, no. Well, the Harry Potter was #2 the matrix #3. I'm getting ahead of myself. The matrix was #3 the final installment of the Matrix Films had come out and the hype was palpable for that Harry Potter #2. 

You are. 

Of course, because there was the book wasn't there, and the book was leaked and the guy. Founded in the field and. 

In the in the paddock and then. Told the one of the newspapers, one of the tabloids. Yeah, the sun. I think it was maybe. And they didn't. They didn't actually run the story. They didn't leak any of the. They didn't spoil it for people, which is pretty kind. Not like the tabloids. 

It's so dramatic the sun. The news of the. World, I don't know. I didn't like it. Yeah. All right, #1. Drumroll. Who do we think it is? 

Yeah, I probably should have worked harder on the special effects for that one. I'll tell you, I'll do it in post. OK, here we go. OK. So the number one, here's the drum roll third here. 

OK, great. OK. Is it finished? Yeah, that's enough time for general, right? 

Yeah, sure. 

Britney Spears, she was number one in 2002 as well, so she's gonna run. 

She was. That's right. I remember speaking about that last year and I don't remember much these days. So that's a an achievement for me. I'm very proud. 

And we've spoken a lot about her over 2003. There was a lot going on. She had the kiss with Madonna, so obviously everybody was Googling that, as you can imagine. She had the star on the Walk of Fame. She released the album in the Zone and there were lots and lots of hit singles off that. But she also had a bit of a rough time as well in 2003, because that's when her and Justin broke up. I think it. Was early 2003. 

Yeah, yeah. 

And then we've, we've spoken about this but. It has recently. Surfaced again due to her memoir coming out. 

Are the book, of course. 

The horrendous Diane Sawyer interview. You was in 2003. 

You have to keep reminding yourself that Britney Spears is only 21 and everything in her life so far has been laid out in public. First guy, first time and 1st lesson learned in the bruising business of breaking up, I have to ask a couple of things about Justin. He's gone on television and pretty much said. You broke his heart. You did something that caused him so much pain. So much suffering. What did you do? 

I was upset. I was upset for. A while we both. I think we're both really young and it was kind of waiting to happen and I will always love him. He'll always have a special place in my heart. He is such a great person. 

But you said I've only slept with one person in my whole life. Two years into my relationship with Justin. And yet he's he's left. The impression that that you weren't. Faithful that you betrayed the relationship. 

I think everyone has a side of their. Story and to make them feel a certain way and make them feel, you know. And I'm not technically saying he's wrong, but I'm not technically saying he's right. You there? 

Wow. It's so hard listening to that. She is so young. 

It's, I think context is is everything like she's 21 years old and she's really famous. It's. 

She is so young. She talks about the break up in her book as well. So this this isn't too long after the break up. She was blindsided with the breakup. He dumped her via text message while she was shooting a video clip. 

Yeah, this is. This is like wizard level gaslighting, right, like. 

And she was saying she was devastated and she basically became a recluse for some time because. She was trying to deal with that and she then sees him going on this world tour and he's just the Golden child. Everybody loves him. He's got the solo album, he's saying he's and then he brought that song out basically to diss her. And she didn't even want to do the interview. I think she was pressured by. 

And then he's and then he's saying, like, cry me a river in his music. Yeah. And then she's and then. 

His father to do it. 

She's. I can't believe I'm talking about this music. Me of all people, I cannot believe I'm talking about. But it's interesting in the songs cause he's like, cry me a river and she's like, every time I try her fall, blah, blah, blah. And that's like her. And she says I'm sorry in that song. And that is apparently what that song is about, that, that there's more in that Diane Sawyer interview, which is actually. Quite revolting. The the sexualisation of these young people by these older interviewers is really gross, and it's it's a trend and it's something that continues to happen to this day. It if you go online, I want to just I'm I'm sidetracking a little bit, I'm digressing. But if you go online and you look at Justin Bieber. 

Yeah, it is. 

The way he was interviewed by people, the way he was objected by. Sorry, all this pop music. Gave me indigestion. Anyway, over to you. 

Britney said in her book that that was a breaking point for her and she felt like she'd been exploited in that interview and set up in front of the whole world. She said she shouldn't have been forced to speak on national TV and forced to cry in front of a stranger. Who was just going after her relentlessly? UM. 

It's interesting that she says she. Was forced as well. 

I think her father, I think her father set it up and I think I believe they came to her apartment to film it. I think it was her apartment and she sort of been hiding out there for some time, just dealing. 

Yeah, yeah. 

Yeah, it was. 

Her house? It was, yeah. 

With everything that was going on. Interesting because I spoke a few weeks ago how, after reading her book every time you come across a piece of of pop culture history, you go and Google it. So obviously she talks about the Diane Sawyer interview. Everyone has started Googling it and watching it now through this new lens. 

The comments how the comments she I. 

She's at time of recording. She's this close to being cancelled because there is this whole thread about her on the Twitter. What's it called? I refuse to call. No, it's Twitter. It's Twitter moment. There's this whole thread around. 

Diane Sawyer is. 

How horrible she is. And then people have now gone back and they're uncovering other interviews that she's done in early. 2000 So there's one with. Honour where she basically said to Madonna. What right do you have to write children's books after writing sex and Madonna? But Madonna came out. She's just like, well, I write what I feel about. So that's that was me at that point in time. And this is me now. Like Madonna just handed her off. It was fantastic. She interviewed Janet Jackson. And was just horrendous to to Janet Jackson. I think obviously in the light of the Super Bowl stuff and and we're saying horrible things about her. 

Which happens next year, but yes. 

And and Whitney Houston was accusing Whitney Houston of of being a drug addict and anorexic, and just again, horrendous line of quest. So all of. These clips are now resurfacing and people are patting her and just going to town. 

I I I don't know how fair it is to at her for that because I think. 

I think that's typical of the media at that point in time. 

Yes, but I think it's probably typical of society at that time as well. I mean, you yourself have said that, you know, at at time of. At that time, every you didn't sort of believe those other things. You only believed what you were kind of fed. So the narratives kind of fueled by the media. But it's also your thirst for wanting to consume that content that continues to perpetuate the cycle. Of it. So like. 

But it's also that whole thing around. Make them cry if you. Make it get get that shot. Get that shot of them crying and the the way that it's one thing to be sort of asking those questions that the media did of everyone at that stage. But it's another thing, the way that she kept pushing that into view. And Brittany is clearly upset at multiple points in the interview and never once did she stop and think. 

100%. 

Maybe this is too much for this poor girl. Like maybe I need to. Maybe I need to stop. She just didn't. She didn't even consider. Didn't even consider the well being at any point. 

No, the you. She's not so. She's not thinking. I need to stop. No, she's thinking I need a sound bite. She wants. She wants a sound or she wants a promo. She wants more. She wants more and more and more. This is one thing that even disgusted me about my media career. And it wasn't that I was a a perpetrator of it, but I was always pushed by people of. 

She's already had many. 

Love me to go for heart string stuff to get people who perhaps were disadvantaged and try and perform a virtuous act to help them out in order to capture their emotion, be it in the form of gratitude or grief or whatever. It didn't matter, it doesn't matter. Let's just get the sound bite. Get that piece of content so that we can hang our hats on it and make promos out of it. That is the sad truth of the whole thing. Nothing has changed. This still happens. And before I had my little indigestion episode, I was gonna say, like, you look at like Justin. Bieber and the way he was sexualised and the way he was treated by even female hosts of shows and and how they they they flirted with you. 

I think it's actually worse because I think females, females think that they can. Get away with. It that they can say that because? They are females. 

Well, no one can get away with it. Well, yeah, I I just don't know. I think people are still getting away with it. They're just probably maybe a little bit more clever about it these days. 

It's just as bad. 

I don't think you would continue an interview in that way these days. I I don't think I don't and I don't think you'd ask those, I don't think. People would ask. Those sorts of questions. 

I'm unsure, I'm unsure. I think it could still happen. But but I think that the the I guess the the outrage, the cycle of outrage could very easily shift towards the person that's asking the question as opposed to the person that's the subject of the interview. But at its core, there is still a thirst from the audience. Whether it be. Me to and and and again. Then once the table turns like and they start going after the interviewer instead of the interviewee, and they start victimising them and then I mean it's it's and it's like. Well, what goes around, comes around or whatever, but then it's the same situation with a different person. It's it's gross, it's so. Gross, but we. I don't know. We're we're kind of primal creatures in that regard. It's like, you know, stonings, Christians to the lions, public executions, all of these things, like, well, we might not be as Barbara. Eric, we still have that in us. I think as a society. 

Ohh was a. 

Big Year in technology in 2003. 

Yes, I think we're moving away from dial-up, hopefully so we won't have to hear that again next year. That's my years every time. 

Ohh no, it's it stays. It stays. 

Forever. Forever. Ever. 

I don't know forever. 

Ever. We've got for tech, we've actually got the big tech news, but we've also got the bad we've got the good tech and the bad tech, the good and the bad. It was a it was a good year and. 

The good and the bad, yes. 

A bad year for Tech in 2003? 

Depends on how you look at it. Like if you're a musician who is getting royalties off album sales. Well, I think. ITunes, probably less notorious than the other one at this stage, because at least people are legitimately playing for your music. But Apple opened the iTunes store. Of course, we spoke about this. 

Now, iTunes was a landmark when we introduced it on April 28th, right here this year. And it was a landmark for a lot of reasons, but one of the biggest reasons was it. Said, you know, we're going to fight illegal downloading by competing with it. We're not going to just, you know, we're not going to sue it. We're not going to pretend it doesn't exist. We're. Going to compete with. 

It and then a hero comes along. 

Ah, thanks, Josie. Good old joby. Well, more than 1,000,000 songs were sold in the stores first week, but gone were the days of buying a full album, which is a bit sad. And it's it's interesting in the context of today because everyone's been sharing their Spotify rap. 

Yes, yes. How was your Spotify? Ohh on Spotify, I'm on Spotify. 

I don't, I don't. Well, I. I I look, I listen. To a couple of podcasts on Spotify I find like I love music a lot like you and it's it's it's hard to listen to stuff on Spotify like I still will go out of my way to support the bands I love. If those platforms, because they don't make any money on Spotify. That's not where. The like the they, they get paid a pittance, even big bands. It doesn't matter. Like I'll buy T-shirts, I'll buy a physical album in the form of vinyl or a CD. You know, I'll still do those sort of things because I'm an old fogey, but Spotify rapped is. I just I I I wasn't interested in it. I just and I and and when I I did, I actually posted on my Facebook. Well, the other day I just went Spotify and people were like, I don't think you're supposed to. 

That's my raps. 

Do that with it. 

That's not how it works. 

That's not what I meant, but anyway. 

So for me. Yeah. So I've got Spotify. I've I've got a subscription mainly so that on a Thursday when you're working at the pub, I can play our our sons sleep music to go to sleep, because the albums on Spotify. But it's not on. It's not on, it's not on Apple. So that's the main reason. So I do have a lot of meditation. 

Yes, it's got a little meditation compilation, yeah. 

Of tracks in my Spotify raps. 

Right. So then what? 

What does your what's your would? 

Be world music or something. Is it the the primary genre? 

Well, no. The the song. I played the most, was forgot about Dre from 2000. And one's chronic. That's pretty good. 

Yeah, that's pretty good. 

Because I do like rapping to that cause that Doctor Dre was my top artist. 

Well, I mean it's I think it's good that amongst all of that parenting, your mother has act like you don't forget about Drake. 

I certainly haven't forgot about him. He's he's my number one and Brittany was #4. 

Very good, yeah. 

So that's nice. 

Well, there you go. 

Kevin Bonfire, I think that might be a meditative song somehow he's number. 

What's that? OK. 

#5. 

Well, once again, like I I don't care. Like I. Sorry, with all due respect, well, I don't care what other people listen to. 

I saw a funny I saw a funny post where this girl had posted her Spotify raps with the caption accurate and someone goes. Well, of course it is. It's literally data. 

I look so. 

Good. And you know, Eddie, I mean. 

I thought that was great. 

It's interesting for me if I'm an active user on that platform. I think it's great. For them to send me something where I. Can go. Wow, this is all the. Stuff that I listened to and did. 

I'm still listening to the same albums. I listened to 20 years ago. I haven't moved on. 

Because of you. That's super interesting. I don't necessarily need to say, hey, everyone look at mine. Like I don't need to do. 

Yeah. And I think the people that post are the ones that cram the month before just to make sure they get a good rap. People do. They send out reminders in the 30 days till Spotify wraps. 

Are you serious? That's that's really strange. Well, I mean. See with with. With 2003 you still had physical media in spite of the fact that you had iTunes. You could burn DVD's like that was really practical. That was the thing to do. 

That's when Burners started appearing in the in the PC's, and I think even some laptops had CD and DVD burners in them as well. 

Yeah, hard. They are to get now like I've got one. Yeah. I had to get a little stand. 

You've gotta buy standalone ones. Don't. You you plug in with the USB, yeah. 

Alone one from. The apple store. Hmm. Yep. Yep. And. To be honest. With you I've got it. Cause I'm like I'd better get one of those. Just. Case I haven't. 

Used I've used them for ages. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 

It's like the VCR sitting out in the shed. I'm gonna be able. To get one of those again, better, better. Hang on to that doesn't matter. 

Everything was going digital. No, everything was going digital. It was revolutionary in 2003. 

That doesn't work. Well, maybe you could make me a mix CD if you've still got your burner, maybe you could make. Me like a love songs and dedications CD. 

I can do that. We've still got. We're because we're we don't really upgrade cars very often. We've still got one with the CD stacker in it, so. That's pretty great, but. Everything was starting to go digital like I was saying, 2003 big year for digital cameras. This is a revolution. Digital cameras for the first time outsell film cameras. And it's the. End it is the end like. 

The end of going to the chemist and then getting 24 photos back with three good ones. 

Could you imagine? Couldn't even imagine going back to a film camera these days. 

And just thinking about somebody looking at all of your selfies as it goes through the production line at the. 

I think. 

Chemist going wow. 

It's around 1992 or three. In high school I did photography as a unit and and I had to develop my own film in a. 

Ohh well you go in the dark room and. You put it in the the. Stuff and you hang it up and you've gotta. 

Dark room, yeah. Yeah. And you make a pinhole camera. 

Wait and it stinks. 

And all that sort. Of stuff and you learn about photographic paper and use the chemicals and yeah, and that's that's gone. That's people. I mean it's that's gone the way of the you think. Set types of primitive and things like that, like developing film. I don't know how we lived, yes. 

Well, in September, an interesting follow on Android was founded by Remember the guy from General Magic and Co, founder of Danger Inc, that Guy, general magic. Remember we spoke about him the. 

Ohh, that's right the company. 

Guy who's from? General Magic and Danger Inc he he founded. 

They were the businesses. 

Android and the idea was to develop an. Operating system for digital cameras. That's very niche and operating system for digital cameras. 

Hmm. Hmm and now. But well, now it's on like your TV. 'S and stuff. Great. I hate Android. I'm not. A fan of it? I've got it on it. Just it's just I just don't find it as seamless as the other one. That was the fruit from the tree of. 

What is that? Knowledge. I don't like its logo, I feel it's juvenile, yeah. 

Do you? Well, I mean, look at who invented it. The guy that was from the engineer from general manager magic and the Co founder of Danger Inc, I mean. 

That's true endangering. 

What do you? 

Want and? It's quite mature by his standards. 

On to the worst of tech for 2003, this is when we started seeing a lot of worms and viruses because we were getting on the email we were forwarding on jokes. Yeah, we were jumping on the the WWW. Yeah. On the dial up. But we still jumping on there. So there was all this connectivity and we were looking up. Things on Google. And perhaps clicking on a dodgy link. 

Yes, with connectivity and connections and all of that sort of stuff, connectivity and connections are one and the same thing, you're. 

So we saw. 

More on but with all of that stuff comes exploitation, yes. 

Does starting in January we had the. Slammer worm infecting 1/4 of a million computers in one day. That's great denial. 

Great, isn't it? That was that was DDoS, wasn't it? It's. 

There's a denial denial of service, but I think because it infected so many computers as well, it just slowed down the Internet in general for everybody. 

On island service, yeah. 

Well, they. 

Just. Yeah, they just kind of wanted to cause a nuisance back in. This isn't as nefarious as what. 

It is these days. 

Yeah, it's not like they stole all your money. It was more just haha. Now you've gotta wait while you. 

Probably working on that, I would say. 

Your picture of Britney downloads can take five hours instead of three. 

Yes. And then there was in August, there was the blaster worms, which was where basically hundreds of thousands of computers couldn't be accessing. The Microsoft server didn't didn't like. There was a fix on. 

Flamma blaster. 

The Microsoft server. 

It was, yes, it was a vulnerability that they'd figured out. 

They they tied up all the traffic there. 

With Microsoft and they were able to in. Contact Microsoft computers and then Microsoft put. Out a patch for. It on the website, but then they did. Something to the website. 

So they couldn't get to the website to get to. 

With the patch. So then they got all the people going to the park. It was very confident, yes. 

The patch. Very difficult, very difficult. It's like quitting smoking when you need patches and you can't find them. And then in August, we had, like, the biggest one ever, the so big virus. 

A 911 centre in Texas knocked offline culprit the so big worm it arrives as an attachment. It's goal to steal data. 

It's actually harvesting email addresses from. Your PC and sending those to some central location. 

Namely, so big is creating spam lists. So big is actually not a new virus. It's a variant on an old worm that's been kicking around the net since January. But the latest iteration. Its code has made this thing even more infectious. Michaela. 

Becky, remind me again, why is it that we keep getting infected? Are we not practising safe surfing here or what? What's going on? Why does this keep happening? 

To us, I know, I know. Why? Why? Well, listen, for those of us who are aware of computer viruses. We get it. We can prioritise, manage running an AV programme and patching. All the time. But for those who are less aware or less computer savvy, it's a pretty big task with low priority rankings. 

You gotta love that banter with those early 2030 lists. 

So, so witty at its peak are 6% of all email messages in transit were thought to have been in. Lifted with so big, it was so big, or blast, and one of the two that they felt in hindsight, contributed to the New York blackout. Remember, because the system went down, I feel like probably blaster. 

I see. Don't know. 

Really cause I was gonna say so big to split the difference, yes. 

The Microsoft one cause I think they were on Microsoft computers, maybe. Yeah. At the energy thingo exchange stuff. 

It was just. 

A simpler time. The exchange God, it sounds like. 

Well, that's the telephone, isn't it? The telephone exchange. What's the electricity? The grid. The power. I don't know. No, no. 

I don't know. Anyway. Ohh there there is exchanges cause I remember having an argument with a certain phone provider about the fact that we weren't patched incorrectly at the exchange, which is why we had terrible bandwidth. Which is apparently why I kept losing it Call of Duty but. 

So you complained because you're losing it. Call of Duty. Nice. Nice excuse. 

Well, no, I'm. Internet speed. So I got you. Go to watch something on Netflix and you're sitting. There waiting for 45 minutes. 

I'm trying to tea bag this guy and by the time I can Crouch down, he's already run off. 

He's gone. He's left, he's respawned. Viruses now, so much more nefarious. It's everyone's talking about AI and and the fact that Internet security needs to be, well, just that Internet security needs to be so much more. 

Deep fakes. 

Robust because artificial intelligence can do what a lot of these computer hackers were doing back in the day a million billion times faster because it's all just happening via the machine, like they don't need to sleep. They don't need to eat. They don't need to go to the toilet, and they can. 

You can create if you write the code, yeah, yeah. 

Write code way faster. 

And the other thing is as well, there is so much of our lives online now back. 

Exponentially faster. 

Back in the early 2000s, we weren't doing things like banking. We were. Went putting all these passwords and personal information into the we weren't feeding it into the Internet back then, so all it takes is one data breach and then you're on the dark web and you're getting tracking notices for parcels that you never bought. And click here. 

Right, exactly. And they're so easy to fall for, like, they're they're becoming much more sophisticated like. 

They're they're yeah, the URL's start. To look legit now. 

That's that's a worry, isn't. It but like also we're the last generation of people. That would have grown. Up that would have had a childhood. 

Had and had time without the Internet. 

Yeah. Which is extraordinary. And I feel so lucky that in my early 20s, I didn't have social media. Yeah, because. But you know what? The The funny thing about that is, is even later on in life, as soon as you get on social media and you start posting a few things and then you go back and you get your retrospective. About and start looking at some. 

You get your Facebook wrapped for the. 

End of the year off Facebook does on this day in Facebook history every day and it reminds you that even later on in life doesn't matter how old you are. Like you look back on some of the stuff you said you're like I'm a massive head every single time I was a kid. Then I'm a kid now. I'm going to look back on the things that I said this year. Next year and. 

Yep, kid. 

I'll still be in. Let's do toys, shall we? 

We'll start with best toy of the year. No surprises, because I think the various iterations become the best. Of the year every year. Early 2000s hokey pokey Elmo. 

The word on Sesame Street. Put this. 

Now your chips can hokey pokey with Elmo. 

New pokey? 

Cokie Elmo holy some fishing price. 

Ohh mate, if you're a stay at home parent, nothing's gonna push you towards a a mid afternoon Chardonnay quicker than having to deal with hokey Pokey Elmo. 

Wow, ever since they introduced tickle me Elmo, I think 96. Remember people were fighting over tickle me Elmo. That was crazy. That was mayhem. I think every year they introduced a new Elmo, because last year toy of the year was chicken, Chicken, Dance, Elmo. And remember, they had the issue where it caught fire. 

Ohh, the dance one, yeah. Well, they set it on fire. They did it. It was like all these viral videos of them. 

Ohh, they set it on fire just. Remember a flaming on my. 

Setting it on fire or attacking with a blowtorch. Hmm. 

I look I. 

Completely understand and yes, obviously the rendition of the hokey pokey. Was he getting faster and? 

He was. That's, that's what it's all about. So you keep turning around and eventually kids get dizzy enough that they actually render themselves unconscious. Yeah. And you can enjoy your mid afternoon show today and peace. Hmm. Thank you. Hokey pokey, Elmo. 

More high pitched. In place. Wonderful. Activity toy of the year was click its which is a type of Lego. 

Well, it's a bit of a gimmick for Lego. I think it didn't seem to stand the test of time. No, I don't remember click. It's either. 

I don't remember click it. 

I think I was outside the demographic. At that point. Game of the year was cranium hullabaloo. Cranium was also a game. 

Ferrania board games. 

Of the year last year. 

As in 2002, educational tour of the year was the Leapfrog Multimedia Learning system of some multimedia. 

All right. 

Yeah, that's just like a primitive version of the digital babysitter. Before you could give your child an iPad, you'd give him a leap frog. 

Yes, great. 

Yes, and the boy. Toy of the year I had this. 

Power of the hunt could be yours when you need it with them. 

With all the thunderous sounds of the. 

Hulk built in. 

A power of the Hulk is in your hands. 

I've got the power of the hot in my. 

Hair and my I like it. 

Hulk hands with Real Hulk sounds. Is there a? 

Hulk in you. 

I think I brought that home from. Work, so you actually. 

Yeah, it was a promo thing from the the TV station that you got and you gave them to. Me. That was great fun. 

And then we thought we were really cool because we stuck them on the wall and. It looked like Hulk's hands were smashing. 

Yeah, well, then I did a painting of the Hulk, remember? And I put like his face in the middle of the hand. Yeah, that was back when, you know, we had no idea of how to style a home and just turn it into an idiot. 

Through the wall. Yes, that's right. So artistic. Ah, it was graves. 

And Kate, it reminds me of that joke, though. Like, what do you what do you get if? You've got 2 green balls. Complete power over the Incredible Hulk. 

Right. That's a good one. The idea for whole cans came out of a brainstorm session at Toy Biz. No, that's fine. 

It's not. I'm sorry, should I? Should I cut that? Ohh, so we're pressing on, alright. Yes, cool. This is gonna be one of those things where I get reminded that I said that in a year's time and then I'm gonna think that I. 

The brainstorm. Going to appear on your Spotify apps? Your worst joke of 2023 was that green balls thing. 

Great. Keep going. Then press on. Yes, well done. Great. Awesome. I think I I said it wrong anyway, but just continue. 

It didn't feel quite right, but it's. 

Well needed. 

OK, it's. OK, so toy biz Toy Biz had a brainstorm session. Good for them. They were looking for ideas because the Spiderman web blaster. Remember that the gloves and you and it blasts the web. 

The web? Ohh yeah, you'd shoot the Spiderman gism all. Over it. Everything. Yeah. 

Yes, yes. The Spiderman ejaculate was quite popular in 2002 and they thought well, we need a a similar similar thing for. Hulk we need. Yeah, we need to market Hulk. What can we do? 

Yes, but we don't want to stain the furniture, so we'll just do some big foam hands. 

And then they were thinking of Eric Banner and him and Hulk and and then they came up with the well, why don't we make something that does the Hulk sound and that's how they came up. With the hands. 

And I think. If you're quite clever and crafty, you could have actually fashioned like. 

A bit of a a whole. 

And just above the thumb that you could stick a beer can in, you could use it as a. Stubby holder, which would have. 

That would be. 

Been great. Yeah. Yes, in ohh I see what you've done there. Popular word. 

Handy. Yes, it's interesting. It's it changed its name. It was then became known as the Gamma Green Smash Fist. I guess Hulk wasn't PC. 

Oh really? 

What's wrong with hold hands? Yeah, OK, sure right here. 

Enough so I. Don't know. Maybe the more politically correct. Gamer Green smash fests. In 2012. They made the so it's boy tour of the year in 2003, then in 2012. 

Still making them? Yeah. 

It's on the 10 worst toys lists. 

Because why? 

The consumer watchdog whirled against toys, causing harm or watch? Yep. 

The watch, the watch. Great acronym. Fantastic. 

They said that it has the potential for blunt impact injuries, particularly to toddlers, treasure Hulk smashing people so that you can make it do the noise and someone's obviously whacked a toddler at some stage. 

Look at. They're like punching people with their hook. 

End whole smash. That's outstanding. Well, I mean you. 

And didn't go well. 

Buy him a pair of boxing gloves at the same outcome. 

Then, in 2013, the Black Panther Wakanda battle Claws were also cited by watch the world against toys causing harm for their potential for eye and facial injuries. Well, what do you expect with the claw claw if you're buying a claw? 

Oh yes. 

Ohh, because they're scratching scratching each. Other's eyes out with the claws. 

You should be well aware of the dangers. What about The Wolverine claws? 

In the the Black Panther. Ohh The Wolverine, the adamantium close. So I should have the the Black Panther. 

Imagine that. 

Litter box that would have been good. Just got like a little box of sand and a scoop, you know? Yeah. You gotta remove all the Black Panther Nuggets from there. That would have been great. What was the girl toy of the year? 

Ohh, glad you asked. Rats. Formal funk. 

Everybody wants to be prompted. Each breath comes with her own mannequin. Everybody wants to be 2003. 

Ohh you boys. 

Let's change again. Formal funk brats each come with mannequin prom dress and after prom fashion sold separately. 

Accessories by clients choose by Payless. That was my fault all. 

The time. Yeah. Yeah. Good on you. Well done. Yeah. And look, look what you ended up. You're a snack. 

My dress of some syndicates. 

You know, you've got this amazing stud of a husband as well, so. 

We will. 

I mean. 

Brad, I mean, they were targeted at younger girls. 

But this was like a. 

Line of formal wear brats. 

Yeah, but it's like kind of prompt but like if say, but they they primaries, it's targeted at primary school kids. Yes, with more of a high school theme. So it's encouraging them. 

So they were going to, they were from effectively. Yeah, they were all. Tart. Well, they were tarted up anyway. 

And to. 

It's a bit edgy as well. 

Well, are they sexualised? I don't. 

Know there was something in there, they went. 

Oh, some fathers group hated them. 

There's something there. Just went. Hey, boys, did you hear that in the ad? Something about boys? 

Ohh you go to the formal you. 

Have Adam, it's a rite of passage, so to speak, featured. 

Have to have a formal date. A line of 10. Dolls, the Super styling runway, disco, and they came with the outfit for the formal an after party outfit mannequin, a stand 2 purses, 2 scarves, a pair of gloves. 

Right. 

Scrapbook and lots of accessories. There there are some on eBay at the moment. Fetching upwards of $500.00. So if you have a formal funk brats from early 2000s that you haven't taken out, packet. 

Worth a little bit of money. 

Working up on. EBay nice and flush. 

Well, I think like some of the accessories like maybe the the brats pill testing kit, you know? 

The brats vodka. The little vodka that you've hidden in your coin purse. 

Yeah, yeah, the the, I mean, yeah, that that works there. 

The winning Blues. They were popular at the formals in Canberra. 

Alright, let's crack on the. Music. We've got lots of. Many an hour today spent doing the production for this week's podcast because we've got not one but three top five lists. 

Alright. Well, let's get into a billboards top 100. We've got the top five songs from the top 100 for two. 

1003. 

I'll be here for a month. If I was gonna. Do all hundred of the ********. 

I'm scared. 

Crazy, right? 

Getting busy. Hot and fresh out the kitchen. Mama rolling that body. Got every man in here wishing to sipping on coke and rum like so. What? I'm drunk. The book my mind got what you need. 

Yeah, you know. What's interesting 3 Doors Down, getting there at #5, right with when I'm gone. Is it 3 doors? 

Those. Yeah, Matchbox 20. That's the virtual town. 

No, that's three goes down. Yeah. Yeah. You made me second guess, but I'm confident that it's 3 Doors Down. They didn't spend a lot of time in the charts. And yet they make the. Five out of the top 100. 

Maybe they wafted it around #6. Seven. Didn't really, we didn't. 

They wasted. Yeah, maybe they're probably inside of the top 10 for a significant amount of time, but that's out of the remix of what we do here on the podcast anyway. Rattle off the rest of them. What else do we have? 

Really know this though maybe. Yeah, that's interesting, isn't it? Maybe they didn't math properly. #4 Beyoncé crazy in love and #3 get busy. Sean Paul #2. We've actually decided to put in after boycotting it all year. R Kelly's. 

Yeah, we've broken policy. 

I feel like we can because I think all of our three listeners said you can't rewrite history. Yeah, and it sounded like they were comfortable with hearing it. 

So we've caved to the will of the audience. 

I think it's. A fair point. I think it's a fair point. And then it's like well, where, where do you draw the line? Because it was a point in time and at that time it was a popular song because we didn't know then what? We do know now. OK, fine. And he's. 

Sitting at #2. 

And it's actually it's actually. 

It's actually. 

A good song. It's not a bad. Song, you know. 

It's not a bad song. 

It hurts me to say that. 

Yeah, sure. Anyway, number one in the club, 50 cents $0.50. Now there's a there's an actual role model. A life coach per say. That's fine. I think they had it coming anyway. 

Well deserved. Apart from the microphone incident, a definite role model. We shouldn't throw microphones. 

It depends on how Frankie you get, really. 

Not more thinking of the microphone. Expensive and sensitive equipment. OK. In the club. Topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 9 consecutive weeks. It became 50s first top ten single certified 9 times platinum in the US. 

Hmm, he can afford it. Don't worry about it. Yeah. 

In November 2020, the clip reached 1 billion views, averaging 400,000 views per day. This is pre Super Bowl. I'm thinking post Super Bowl when we performed even more because. 

Even more. 

They wanted to see what he looked like, the they wanted to see. 

That would have so. Many people would have been going. 

The before shot. 

Why? Why is that guy upside down? 

Yeah, they wanted to see the before shot. 

What's weather on? I don't. Understand. So they would have had to. 

You're working out. 

Watch, watch the videos that to get it. Cause all of. These people would have known, so who is? 

Cause he like in in the gym train. And the irony of that is in the Super Bowl thing he kind of looks like he might need to be in the gym. 

He was he. 

Training a little bit more. 

Bit puffed out. 

But he did well. He did well. 

I I think it was muscle. I just think I I think everything kind of. 

I I think it's nerves. I find that when I have to do something in front of a big group of people. No, no, I find that I'm not breathing out of my diaphragm. I breathe a little bit higher and I think that's why he sounded. 

You put on a bit water weight. 

A bit breathy. Think nervous. 

Well, I mean, he's also a bit older as well and things don't hang off you quite as well when you're older. And when you? 

And also singing upside down. 

Well, that's what I'm saying. When you're upright, it's all kind of cool because it hangs in a general direction. But then all of a sudden you go upside down. And it gets weird pretty quick. Yeah, exactly. They talk about things going South, I'm telling you. 

Like, oh, there's my ******. Great. In December 2022, it hit 1 billion streams on Spotify as well. Yes, I think it's in my Spotify list, actually, for all the birthdays we've been playing it at. 

Ohh Spotify excellent. That's right there. All these *******. Probably sharing it on Facebook and other social media pro. Yeah, look wrapped here. We go. There's in the club, that's my #1 stream. So good for them. 

OK, iTunes also brought out because obviously launched as we heard earlier in 2003, so. They brought out. A list of the top of the top sellers on iTunes, yes. 

What I find? Really interesting about this is how different it is. From billboard, and I think a lot of white people bought iPods initially. They were the early adopters. A lot of black people like Nah, man, I've got my, like, big ghetto blaster. And that's what I'm sticking with. And then everyone else. Is like I'm gonna download this to my. 

What were they downloading? 

There will be. No life like above. I'm in love. Don't you forget. 

You just like this. 

Your daddy. 

White people and radio stations downloading. 

Man, I was gonna. Say, like in, in spite of, in spite of the fact that, hey, yeah, is it the number one spot there? That is the most looking Caucasian playlist I have ever heard in my life? 

Easy listening radio isn't. 

Oh my God. 

It clocks Coldplay. I hate that song so much because when I used to work the radio week. In shifts that would appear at least twice, and I'd only be doing a four hour shift, it would be at least twice every single time, and it's like the longest song in the history of forever. You need to go to the toilet. Yeah, go to. 

Ohh yeah. 

Yeah, yeah. 

The toilet during clock good one. 

Kloss is a good one to. 

To go to the toilet. 

Maybe number ones not #2. 

Oh no, it's definitely number six. 

They they used it. 

In TV all the time as well, there's so many like you get those long sweeping shots of a landscape, and it'd have their opening piano part of clocks, and you'd be like, oh, here we go quite like. 

Chris Martin too. So I feel bad. 

Yeah. Where are? 

They sending Karl Stefanovic's to now for 60 minutes. 

I feel bad because I do like clicks, but I don't. 

Do you? 

Like clocks, it's just. 

Sill Cove Hill Cove OK. 

It annoys me. But hey ya was #1 interesting because that has only sort of been released in the last. Few months, so there must have been. 

Well, hang on, we also had white flag by Dido. Yeah. And then we had. It's my life by no doubt. And then fallen by Sarah McLaughlin and even. 

Oh, you want? 

To talk about the others. So. I never know who. 

That is well, yeah. I I I didn't until I heard the song and then. 

Country she country fish. 

I was like, OK. I don't know. It's just so middle of the road. It's ridiculous. Anyway, back to Haya. 

It's non offensive. Yeah, it's all very beige. Beige is probably the best word. Beige. 

Beige, which is another name for W. 

Right. 

With a little bit of a. Tan. So hey, yeah. Hey. Yeah. 

That's just. 

Cause that was only released. A few months ago, because the album only just came out. So it's interesting that. That is number one, there must. Have been a lot of purchases. 

Well, I think. 

They've bought this new fandangle piece of. 

In a short space of. 

Technology you may want, yeah. 

Time everyone's going to need. Some hip hop on my on my nano. 

Yeah, I don't think that knows where there's. I probably classic pretty much, yeah. 

The nano's out. Then I don't know. No, we still have this classic, yeah. 

Yeah, which is a great piece of kit, by the way. 

On 23. Thousand I want to do a bit of a. Where are they now? I love this. I love this. In November this year, he's he's released his first album in 17 years called New Blue Sun. 

Ohh yeah. 

It's very odd. 

No hip hop, no rapping. It's 87 minutes flutes. This is a flautist. There's a. Contrabass flute. Mayan flutes, bamboo flutes. 

Mayan Mayan flutes from the ancient civilisation. The Mayans, yes. 

Mine. Mine on mine. Ohh cities of gold. 

Exactly. Yes. Yeah. You take it down to those. You play a couple of tunes that it unlock a secret temple. 

I hated that. Show as a kid. Get AB thing. Oh gosh. 

Or something. Yeah anyway. 

That was the worst show. They were always. On a boat they never got. 

It was OK I. 

There it was worse. There was much, much worse. 

Was always looking for the ******* cities of gold. No, that was the worst. I hate that. 

You just wanted to get to come and get it with Peter Russell Clarke. I get it. Understood. Anyway, the Andre 33000. 

Yes, g'day g'day. See you later. So he's brought out his flutes and instead of so, there's no lyrics. There's no singing, there's no rapping. But he wants to still make a message. So. 

In his yes. 

Named the songs if you have a look at the song. So the first song. 

In the song titles, right? 

Title is called. And it does feel a bit like a low key apology. I swear. I really wanted to make a rap album, but this is literally the way the wind blew me this time. I'm not gonna read out track Two's title. Go and have a look on your Spotify or on your itune. 

OK. 

It's very entertaining. 

So what's big boy doing if Andre 3000 is off being a flautist? What's big boy up to? 

Big Boy has got a thing for owls. He's got a whole bunch of pet owls. I think he still performs and I think he's brought the Owls with him, but he's mad keen for owls. That's do the birds. Yes, owls. 

Oh really? 

It's like birds of prey. Yeah. Where's the big? Glove and and all of that sort of stuff. 

And there was the. 

Best meme the other day, it said Andre dropping a flute album. Big Boy has pet owls. I love that Outcast went from rappers to NPC's and Zelda. 

That's so good. That's so good. 

So true. 

They were always ahead of their time. I feel like the rest of society will eventually come around. It's amazing. 

I do feel like the flute album is gonna be in my Spotify rapped cause it's a great album for maybe to put the. Sun to bed. It's a good relaxation album. It's just not let him see. 

Really, no, I don't know. He's pretty. 

The titles of the tracks. 

Didn't really set me his ways. Yeah. 

Don't read the tractor. 

That'll be terrible. Let's go to the Aria charts. Let's go to Australia. Let's see. What kind of difference there is between? Billboard, iTunes and now the Aria charts. I mean, you know what I think of the. Aria charts anyway. 

Got me, got me questioning. 

Where is the where is, where is. 

The music. 

Would be clear that from me. 

You know what this is? This is like, this is. I mean, it's a bit all over the place, but I think that. This shows what. A bunch of loose units. Australians are OK. So we start. Off pretty strong, we're in the club with $0.50, right? And you're in the club with 50 Cent. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And. And then, like, delta starts caterwauling with born to try. So you're in the club, and then you're having a crack. 

Yeah, yeah. At Sugar Reef that later became a strip club, yes. 

We're born to try, right? And you're not doing too well. You're not doing too. Well, you're born to try. You're not. And you're. Like, where's the love? Yeah. Where is the love with the Black Eyed Peas coming in at #3. Like, where is the love? And then you lose yourself. You're like, oh, I'm really, really freaking drunk. And I don't know where I'm going. 

Where's my wallet? Where's my keys? 

And then. All of a sudden, all of a sudden it's the next morning you wake up and. 

I've lost my Motorola razor. 

You're like angels brought me here. 

It was like. 

Exactly. It's like it's just amazing. 

That just feels like a standard Saturday night out, isn't it? You're telling the. 

It's it's, you know and and I I do. 

Story of a lot. 

I do it on the Arias a lot, but that is a real journey and I. 

Accurate literal data. 

Feel like that is. 

A journey through most young Australians 2003 in the club trying as hard as you can, can't find any love, get lost and then angels bring you home. Thankfully you. Don't die. 

Yes, yes, the taxi driver. Taxi driver always knew. They lived, didn't they? It's so many times. I woke up at my house. They. Must have got. My wallet out and looked at my ID. 

Ohh, my God. You're well. You. You were a loose. You were both loose units. I'm surprised that you and I survived each other, let alone the 2000s. But anyway. 

But back to angels brought me here. Noel was robbed, and we still have it on Earth. To the noisy. Version, still on the lookout, still on Lookout Landfill somewhere. Someone's gotta find it. 

My bank just brought me news. Well, it's in landfill. It's like if anyone's got a copy or they know where it's been buried, please let us know. Reach out to us, we will. Cool. Create an entire documentary around it. Yes, yes. 

We will rebuild. We'll release it, but so. 

Moving rent free in my head. 

Recently Guy has been forced to what? Do they call it reaction video? 

Ohh it's done a. Reaction video for its own clip. 

He's done a reaction. Video for his own clip of angels brought me here. He's got some things. He's got some thought. 

He wasn't. 

He wasn't narcissistic enough. Wonderful. 

I'm really embarrassed right now because anytime this video comes on, I feel a little bit sick. So here we go or. 

Ah yeah. 

I don't wanna. Watch this world exclusive. They couldn't wait in Uruguay. The hairstylist locked up with a straightening iron true story. I have an Afro. It's curly like I just don't know who straightens an Afro. I don't understand the zippers on the collar. And you gotta understand too. Like there's a stylus there. So how that colour is sort of up on one side and the big plot on the other side is. On purpose, for good reason. I mean, you look at that beautiful look at the hair straightened. Ohh fist pumps. You you gotta start somewhere, right? Unfortunately, I started right at the bottom. 

Ohh, sounded like he ordered his slide part of that zip. 

Really. Well, he was, he reacted. Well, he's a narcissist. He was reacting to himself. 

I just I. 

Just explained so much, though the hair straightener cause I always thought. That's that doesn't. Look like an Afro to me when they always just go go the fro. I thought something not. Quite right about that fro, that's. Something that doesn't make sense. 

It's not. 

No, that's a good point that he makes. 

I don't think that there is anything genuine about that guy. I'm sorry, I might be on my own there and there's probably a lot of fans that. Are really offended by that comment, but it just. 

Look, I'm team noisy, so. 

Me too. Me too. 100% at least he's real least. He's a real deal. 

Yeah, yeah. 

Living on the farm mountain condo. Let's go to the biggest. Selling albums of 2003 in the US, we had #5 outcast with Speaker Box. 

Slash love below. 

Slash not slash isn't on it. It's it's speaker box, the love below. It's a double album, 1/2 is Andre the other half. Big boy. No flutes, no owls. No. But Speaking of owls, if you're feeling a little bit Gothic at #4, we had Evanescence with their album, which I believe was a self titled album #3 Meteora by Linkin Park #2 come away with me by Norah Jones. 

Great album. 

And #1 the North star. 

That what you need you need to. 

Fill the ball. 

$0.50 get rich or die trying. 

Debut studio album, yeah. Irv. Gotti was right. We're in trouble. 

They had a big problem, yeah. 

Big problem. Sold over 872,000 copies in its first week, and this is from an artist that nobody's ever. 

That's amazing. 

Heard of? Yeah. Yeah, went on to sell over 8 million copies in the US alone, making it certified diamonds. Diamonds as of 20/21. It has sold over 12 million. 

As Diamond album. Hmm. 

Copies worldwide. One of the best selling hip hop albums. 

Of all time, all time. All time. Yes. 

Old, old. 

Go 50. 

OK, I've I've saved the best of us. I wanna indulge myself here and do the five best metal songs of 2003 according to noise creep. 

No response or action. 

Is there a street that has? 

Tell the world of Passion, Dale. 

That's a bit of a journey as well, really. So at #5, unholy confessions, by Avenged Sevenfold. Yeah, window pane by Opeth. Coming in at #4. Progenies of the Great apocalypse by Dimmuborgir. 

I like that one. 

At number 30, Jimmy Bougie are awesome. Back in the early 2000s, really cool. They used to use orchestral stuff all the time, which is great. We can powerless by a perfect circle, which is Maynard James Keenan from tools side project and then at #1 the Mighty Iron Maiden with Passendale. Which is I think, still to this day, one of their best songs, really great song about the Battle of Passchendaele. We spoke about that earlier in the year and it's good to see them coming in at the greatest metal songs of 2000. Three and still going strong. I cannot wait until September 2024. Ohh that don't put me on the spot, but I can't wait until they come back to Australia because they cancelled like the week that COVID really started to ramp up. I'm like are we going or are we not going and. 

How many sleeps? It's yeah, yeah. 

It was like the week off. 

It's only, yeah, it's only a few days out. 

Pretty much Iron Maiden cancelled their their return to Australia. Yeah, for the I think when was it was 2020 and and it's now four years later and we're going to see him again and they're still going strong and it's wonderful. Bruce Dickinson, actually at the time of recording has just released his solo album, The Mandrake Project, with the single, The afterglow of Ragnarok. 

Yeah, yeah. 

Which just I mean it doesn't get much. It doesn't get much more metal than that really does it? I mean, how can you compete with the afterglow of Ragnarok? I don't know. Well, what do you have after the afterglow of Ragnarok, like a cigarette? 

Oh. Named after Thor. 

Cup of tea and a lie down. I mean, goodness me. 

2020 suburbs. 

Let's go over to entertainment, the box office. It was a big year at the box office in 20. No, it wasn't. It was 2003. Like I nearly said, 2023. Yeah, and that's incorrect. 

No, that's wrong. We're rewinding 20 years. 

I yeah, I've I almost lost. 

You sold brand. What's that tag? Come on. 

What is our tagline? 

Rewind 20 years. 

Ohh yeah, I thought it was the podcast about not so ancient history, but we we iterated on that, didn't we? 

It's like, yeah. 

We did, yes, we did. 

We improved, which is something that I have not done clearly. OK, so #5 in the top films of 2003, the big earners was Bruce Almighty, making $485 million at the box office. 

Pirates of the Caribbean, the curse of the Black Pearl made 654 million. 

That's right, the Matrix reloaded 739 million. 

Finding Nemo 871,000,000. 

That was a big release. I feel like that's still earning to this. Day. It's a big film and the number one I feel like this was the first movie ever to make $1 billion. This is the Lord of the Rings return of the King with $1 billion. 

I see in your eyes the same. 

Fear that would take the heart of Maine. 

A day makeup when the courage of men. 

When we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is. 

Not this day. 

No, it's not this day. $1.1 billion. In fact, that's a lot of money. 

Imagine what you could buy for that, yeah. 

Well, you probably get your money back for the amount of money you spend on making. That film it. 

Buy a new movie. 

Was and look, I've gushed over how wonderful those movies are. Many a time. So let's move on to the biggest flops. 

They're the lowest earners. We're gonna do the three lowest earners. 

It's the lowest earners, yes. 

For 2000 and. 3 #3 Peter Pan with 122 million at the box office, losing 70 million. 

Justifiably so, the the IT was the creepiest Peter Pan Film. Yeah, he was just a bit weird. It was just. 

Ohh, that was the handsy. Peter wasn't it? 

All a bit odd. He was creepy. 

He had he lead. He had. Leering eyes, didn't he? Yeah. 

He was leery. That's right, he was. A leery Peter Pan. 

Once you, Peter. Pan, Bag, Leary, do you? No. 

You really don't, especially when you're saying because then then it becomes a Metallica song when he's saying we're off to. Never Neverland. It's just. Odd, sinbad. Legend of the seven seas, $80 million loss of 125 million bucks. That's unfortunate. That would get you. A house? Yes in Canberra these days. You just lost your house in Canberra. 

The biggest flop, however, for 2003, no surprises. Really giggly. Ohh rhymes. 

Yeah, I'm glad that. 

With really really, really. 

Geely Geely Geely $7.3 million film lost $72 million it might sorry made 7.3 million, I should say lost 72 million. 

Sometimes I think you're involved with bad things. Are you? Oh. 

Beneath the rugged exterior, Larry Shealy was a nice guy. 

You are. 

You know me. I'm gonna be fine. 

Putting on a good show, he's just been given his big. 

That's punishing. 

Break. There's a certain witness with psychological defects. 

And I want him held. 

On, but he's about to get. 

His kid and his kid. 

An even bigger surprise. 

Hello. Do we know? 

I'm sorry. 

Each other. 

Not yet. I guess Lewis would feel more comfortable if there were two independent contractors working on this. 

And that is. About the time that Ben Affleck's life was completely ruined by Jennifer Lopez. 

I feel like if so, it's after named after Ben Affleck's last name, which is really if his last name had been Smith. 

Geely. Yeah. 

First name Larry, by the way. Larry Seeley. 

Jones black. Yeah. Walters. Mm-hmm. I think it would have done better because nobody could say the name. So you're going on your first date. You're not gonna pick a movie where you can't say the name and look like an ****. Like, yeah, giggling. Gilligan. Gilly. Gilly. Gilly. Really. That nobody. 

And then and. 

Well, especially if you're a chip and then a man. Well, it's a pretty good litmus test, though, because it's a it's an opportunity to have it mansplained. 

Knows how to say it. 

To you as well. 

So if the blokes. Like I think you'll find the pronunciation is jeely. At least you know that it's time to. End the date. Now TV shows, TV shows in the US, the top TV shows in the US we. Had The Apprentice. 

You're fired. 

The Apprentice was what was that #5 in? The top rated. 

And little did we know back then when we loved that show, little do we. 

TV shows in the US. 

Know that that was. 

Of the president. 

Of the United States. Yeah. Firing. 

One day. 

People. Yeah. Yeah. Well, that's. 

Did you think that? Did you ever watch? That going who's gonna be president? 

No, I think the moment that I figured out he was gonna be president was when Obama made a joke about him at the press dinner, and he was in the crowd. And you just look on his face and like, I reckon he's coming after you, mate. Anyway. Yeah. So that was. Well, also didn't. Who was the person that ended up being in his cabinet? 

Did she? She was the. 

Yes, yes there is. 

Yeah, she was one of the villains, wasn't. 

Yeah, I'm pretty sure she ended up working somehow for him when he. 

She did she win it? Well, that was the 5th. Highest rated U.S. TV show for 2003. 

And then friends, obviously the 4th still, I think a lot of people reeling over the the death of Matthew Perry this year, which is very, very sad. And but also I'd love to the solidarity between all the cast members of that show. I think that's and. 

Very fast. Hmm hmm. 

This is coming from someone who cannot stand that show, but you've gotta give it to him. You know that. And also from a industry point of view, the way that they stuck together to negotiate their pay. 

All the. 

Pie. That's right. I forgot about yay. 

I mean that is unprecedented. That is how entertainers, especially people, who are on the frontline, who are the ones that making themselves vulnerable to an Audi. Need to band together in the face of the bean counters like. 

Yeah, that was really groundbreaking, wasn't it? 

That that was. Stunning. That was amazing. Yeah. It's like, you know what? This show is actually successful, and we're all in it together. And you can't make it without us. And this is how much we. 

Once, yeah. 

Want you to give. 

Us. I thought that was wonderful and from that to people. Been completely exploited. In the in the number three position. 

And yeah, the American Idol. 

Three and two. So how does that? Work, so auditions. 

Well, I think it was. Episodes I think it was. 

Based on episodes. 

Yeah. OK. So American Idol and then obviously the final American Idol in #2 when Ruben Studdard won and is he the guy that got in trouble with the clothing brand? 

Reason, yeah. On the T shirt. Yes. Yeah. You reneged on the T shirt. 

That's right. And then this show taking out the number one spot. In the USA. 

Where would you like to start? 

Yes, we're talking about CSI's number one show. 

Prime stuff in. 

Crime stuff in wherever I don't think they got into the stage of work cause then it they had all the. Spin offs like CSI Miami, which according to. 

You know. I mean. That's the only spin off I. Know what else is it? 

It was, it was. Where did you hear that from? My name is Earl, wasn't it? Yeah. Randy Crimes stands for crime stuff in Miami. CSI and the other one now the highest rating TV show in. 

My name is Earl Crown staffing Miami. 

Australia was this. 

They will set it up, they'll go midfield. Wilkinson will set it up here and. He'll wait for. His opportunity cat. Absolutely monster. He's back now behind the pocket Wilkinson. He's waiting. 

Last week, last week, everybody lost me. 

Warren Smith ready to spread? And Dawson goes himself, he fooled everyone. Wilkinson, still in position here. This is England's chance. Back, is there Australia come through Martin Johnson and England staying composed here. Wilson still in place for the drop goal. Australia come back here it is for Johnny. Has he done it? He sure has. Heartbreaking for the world. 

Yeah, that was the point that Johnny Wilkinson robbed Australia of the Rugby World Cup back in 2003, and rugby basically just turned to absolute after that in this country. 

It's always the sport over here that Rakes the. 

4.2 million viewers in. 

Vests. We didn't care about the crime stuff. 

Australia, no, we love. 

Wanted the sport. 

It we don't care about anything else except the sport. We don't want to. 

No singing. Well, we had idol as. 

Know that the war. 

Well, I'm surprised that idol didn't. 

We did. 

It was bad enough that they took out the number one spot in the charts, although very appropriate with the journey that we went on for that. 

There was a big brouhaha after the final, but PM John Howard. He was criticised for his behaviour at the presentation. 

There was, yes, sour grapes. 

The money. 

Apparently he presented the cup to the England captain in an off handed manner and was seen as bad sportsmanship. 

I don't know. I think he's doing what we're all feeling like. There you go. Here's. 

Your traffic **** ***. 

Get stuffed. 

There's your trophy piece off. 

**** after that in. 

This always the sport over here that right for this. 

Country 4.2 million viewers in. 

We didn't care about the crime stuff. 

Australia, no, we love. 

Wanted the sport. 

It we don't care about anything else except for sport. We don't want to know. 

No singing. 

About the war. 

Had idol as well. I'm surprised that idol didn't. 

We did. It was bad enough that they took out the number one spot in the charts, although very appropriate with the journey that we. 

Went on for that. There was a big brouhaha. After the. Final The PM John Howard. He was criticised for his behaviour at the presentation ceremony. Apparently he presented the cup to. 

There was, yes, sour grapes. 

The England captain in an. Off hand. Manner and was seen as bad sportsmanship. 

I don't know. I think he's doing what we're all feeling like. There you go. Here's the. Traffic **** ***. 

Get stuffed. These your trophy piece off. 

Yes, this is so the biggest sewing. 

OK. What was the biggest? Selling one for 2000. And three or did it? Have anything to do with tea bag? 

No, it had everything to do with Pokémon. 

Highly anticipated new arrival. 109 new card 40 new Pokémon, two or two reader bonus Advance your game. Pokémon Trading card game ex. Ruby and Sapphire have arrived. Get on board. 

Gotta collect them all. 

Yeah, I I think that might have been the card version. I'm not sure, but it's Pokémon. I don't understand it. It's funny though, how people still play Pokémon to this day. 

There's a Ruby. 

They love it, they love it. 

And I think it was the annual worldwide top seller since the late 90s. It was #1, yeah, but we're talking worldwide. 

I think. 

I've never understood Pokémon. Really. And I do remember a time when they had it on the phone and it was the augmented reality thing. 

They go. Yeah. And people were running around crossing the road without looking, getting hit by. 

Yeah, we're hearing parks, parks and stuff. Yeah, just in, in order to chase Pokemons that weren't actually there, but apparently were so on their phone. Strange. Yeah, I was. I was. I remember being out for a walk one day for work because I used to go for a walk in. 

Cars. Ohh yeah, very odd. 

Going what's this, gang? What is this gang up to? 

My life it. 

Was like all these people congregating and none of them and like well. 

It's a gang, effectively. 

Yeah, all for the same thing. And I thought, well, they're not part of a group because none of them are communicating with each other. They're just all waving their phones around. It was very strange. It's very strange, but who am I to criticise the most critically acclaimed games of the year was Grand Theft Auto's double pack the compilation of Grand Theft Auto 3 and Vice City from the previous years. Cause and this is the thing with Grand Theft Auto. We're currently waiting with bated breath for GTA6. 

When was the last one released? How long ago? 

GTA5. Ohh God, I think maybe 2019 and he's still like. 

What's the one? You had the book of. 

I've got. What do you mean? 

He came with a book with all the answers. 

Ohh well, I used to buy the book for the answers because I was very time poor. So by the by the strategy guy the book with the answers and then I realised you don't actually need that, that's. 

And then you just grab at it. The answer book. It's like the it's like the teachers edition. Of the the maths. 

Exactly, exactly. Actually, I'm a massive rip off. Like you don't need that. 

Textbook Grand Theft Auto Teachers edition. 

Everyone's waiting for GTA6 and I think hopefully we'll see. A trailer and. Get a release date for that, but GTA5 is still charting like it's still in the top 10 video game charts and it has been since 2019. Unwavering classic game. 

Well, and another critically acclaimed game for 2003 was The Legend of Zelda. The Wind Waker featuring Andre 3000. And big boy. 

Was he in that? Ohh yes. 

No, they were saying that they were the non playable characters. 

Sorry, yes, I just I forgot about that. He's playing the flute and playing with his owl. Awesome. 

The Wind Waker. He was waking the. Wind with his flute. 

So then they had they had Madden NFL 2004, which is the biggest game in the US and I dabbled in Madden for a little while though. Yeah, that's right, the NFL. 

Our second down cousins. 

It's a difficult game to to master. 

You're not very good. At it, no. 

Well, you've only got American servers. 

Did you buy the teachers book the Teachers edition? Madam, you did? Yeah. 

I did. 

And you still crap. 

It's really hard, like it's really difficult. I'm not, it's not my native sport, so it's very hard as much as. I love NFL as a spectator. 

What's his native sports? 

Video games anyway. 

Perfect. No, don't say that. Tea bag. 

Yes, very good at teabagging depends on the ping anyway. 

Best selling game in Australia I love this. I toy play. 

Yeah. Yeah. Where you had the little camera for your PlayStation? Yeah, that was fun. It was a novelty, really. 

Remember we we bought that and there was the one where you did all the window. It actually felt like work by the end of it cause you had to clean the windows and there was. The dancing one where you tapped the things. I did it to that. What was that? Everybody feel the. Beat and don't stop the. 

I don't know. Junior senior. Yeah, yeah, I'm. I'm not a. I hate novelty games. I hate gimmick games. 

Beat. That's good. 

Nike had a game that connected to the Itoy too, remember? And you had to. You had to. You had to hit the Red Bulls and throw the balls up in the air. It's a good workout. 

Did they exercise? 

Yeah, it was. I'd rather video. It's like the two worlds of exercise and video gaming should not really meat. 

Lots of bulls dancing around. Should should not collide. 

It's just not really, it just doesn't work. 

It's like virtual reality. It's the whole thing is still a gimmick at this stage, and I waver. I'm like, maybe I should get the new VR headset, but I'm like, I want to sit down and chill out. I don't wanna get car sick, get motion sick, and that's what I found when I got the first iteration of VR. I sold it because I couldn't play. 

But then I've got to move do stuff. 

It for any of those 20 minutes at a timer I chunda and that's not a good. 

You got sick, yes. 

Time it's I wanna be at least intoxicated. If that's gonna happen exactly. 

You don't want to be closing your rings when you're playing video games. 

So we're doing a book that is not a book that we didn't read. It's a book that we have. Read well, sorry, we the collective we. Yeah, we're not a hive mind. 

I haven't. Excuse me. You wrote it. Ohh right that that nice. 

Did you watch the? 

Ohh I started. No, I fell asleep. Just no it was like maths and science and religion. Do I really want to be at school? Do I really want to be in year 8? 

Tom Hanks, sitting Tom Hanks? Yeah, Tom Hanks with Robert Langley. 

For three hours? No. Yeah. 

You just, yes. 

No, I felt like Padua Catholic High. School all over again. I'm out. 

Fair enough. The Da Vinci Code dominated, dominated biggest book of the year, the. Da Vinci Code. 

20 weeks at the top of the New York Times bestseller list. 

Lots of people read it. Now am I? What am I doing? Here I'm doing reviews in. 

We've got a great review from Thomas F Wells. 

I just one guy. Right. Well, I've got some trailer music that's kinda epic that I got from. From the song this, this piece of music is it's like copyright free, but we have to credit the person who made the copyright Free trailer music and it's pretty bloody good. The track is called Monolith by Sound Rider music. No sorry sound ride. 

I think Thomas deserves it. Minutes away. 

This is it. 

Sound ride music. I need to get that right. So you need to like if you want copyright free stuff, go and look after them. 

This music brought to you by Monolith, by sound, right music. 

1.0 out of five stars, the Da Vinci Code, the prequel reviewed in the United States on 24 February 2004 by Thomas F Wells. Renowned author Dan Brown watched with justifiable pride as a printer spat, fought the final page of his just completed manuscript. He smiled wanly with smug his satisfaction, knowing that he had successfully butchered theology history, a score of other academic disciplines, and English syntax like a slaughterhouse with a new McDonald's contracts. As he encased the freshly printed manuscript in regulation brown post office wrapping paper, Dan couldn't help but notice that it was as thick as 3 stubbed out contains laid end to end. How could anyone smoke a tank? Those are practically toxic cigarettes you could mercifully find only in France. Dan thought. He shook his head in disbelief, then deftly placed the return address sticker on the package. By now his obviously fertile imagination was doing cartwheels, and he could already see the lightly fluttering bosoms of female talk show hostesses earnestly inquiring. How such a young man could have such a deep knowledge of so many profound subjects? He silently chuckled to himself as he imagined one or two of them confiding. You can uncover the truth of my sacred feminine anytime Dan strode to the curb, thrust the package into the mailbox and raise the bright red metal flag now standing before him like a miniature Eiffel Tower. His monument to him goodly year's worth. Of sweat, tears and sunray to read it from California. 1.0 out of five stars. One time I ate a Krispy Kreme doughnut. One thing led to another, and I ate the whole box. That same feeling hit me when I finished this book. You will finish the book. And ask yourself. 

The davinci. 

I didn't mind. 

It I thought it was good. 

I enjoyed it. I read it in like 2 days you work. 

Did you did you did in it? 

Out I. Think that was a lot of the reviews cause we did read a lot of the. Good read reviews I think a. Lot of them were saying Nah, figured it. Out like the fifth page in did. You figure it out early in the book. 

I didn't. I I I. 

What was do, you know? Did you find the answer? What is the answer? 

It was. It was a bit. It was a bit like video games, to be honest with you. I didn't think a lot. I didn't. I didn't think a lot when I read it. And no, there was no *** *******. I think I had a cup of tea. But anyway, yeah, no, I just. I didn't really think about it. I enjoyed it. 

There's of *** *******. 

I read it in two days. It was an easy read. My goodness, we're at the end. That's been a lot. There's. Been a lot, yeah. 

It's a whole year's worth of best of things. There's a lot a lot happened in 2003, a lot of worthy best of people and things and stuff, yeah. 

What happens every year? 

That's why we're here. It's very important. Look, but. While there is a. Lot. There's only one thing that we need to do for this. Segment and this is this. Straight into the clue, a celebrity that is having a birthday. Or would have had a birthday were they still alive this time now and 20 years ago. I always get confused when I do this so. I'm just gonna do. 

Up until I was 20. 

You know, I was told that I wouldn't live to see 20. 

Yeah. Do you wanna hear that one? 

More more time, one more time. 

Up until I was 20. 

You know, I was told I wouldn't live to see 20. 

If you said DMX. You would be correct that is of course DMX apparently. One of the most important figures of 2000s hip. Hop Mel, according to the show. 

Notes. Yeah, he is Earl Simmons. His his real name and. What he he's. Probably one that really characterised that aggressive style and. He has the perfect. 

Very raspy. Yeah. Hmm. 

Gravelly voice for it. And he he had. 

A really aggressive. 

Style some of his stuff was quite ********, but he also did a lot of sort of prayer. Kind of. Gospel. He sort of stuff as well. 

How was he a religious dude? Was he? 

I don't know that he was. Religious per say, but he wasn't always hard for. 

Be like barking like a dog like you used to do that like that. Like, yeah. 

Yes, that was that exit. Don't give it to you. 

For Jesus, yeah. 

Yes, he started his rap career in the early 90s. I think he actually did some beatboxing in the 80s, but was officially a rapper in the the 90s. 

Ohh well, no wonder his voice is ********. That makes perfect. 

He started out as well when he, I guess when he first really broke on the scene, he was part of. Murdering, but not the. Of goddy murdering. So murdering started out with him. Jay-Z and Ja Rule. So it was murdering more, just a collective of three rappers not murdering. 

Right. 

The label as. We now know so Earth came on board a long way off. 

OK. Yes. 

And then he had a falling out with Ja Rule. He I think he had a falling out Jay-Z first and then he had a fall out with JA. 

Who doesn't? 

Rule and it was a very well publicised. Early 2000, beef between almost as famous as the 50 central beef. Yeah. And there was a lot of diss tracks that. Came out, yes. 

Between and Ja Rule. 

DMX and Ja Rule, even though they were kind of label mates to start with. He released his best selling album in 99. It was called and then there was X, which included the single party. Yep. And he's 2003 singles where the hood at and X Gon give it to you. Also very successful. 

Give it to you for you to get it on your own. Knock open up the door to non. Stop getting busy with it. But I got such a good heart. And I make the mother one day if you can. Damn right cannot do anything. 

I am. 

I had an acquaintance once. Not a friend, just an acquaintance. Someone who was in my general vicinity. Once in my general vicinity at points during the day. 

I can relate. I've had a few in my lifetime. 

And that was. 

Their ringtone. But it was a sign. You know, how you can assign ringtones to people? That. 

Was it was. 

It polyphonic or was it like a proper? 

Was there? 

No, was that it was the IT was. 

The OG who's that? It's recent. Well, I mean, yeah, as recent as the correct version of songs can be ringtones. When, yes. But. But. But it was assigned to a female. 

So I'm trying to think of the. Timeline. So it's like, yeah. That's it's commitment. 

Who rang them and I couldn't work out. Is that your? Ex. Girlfriend. And are they gonna? What are they? Gonna give to. You why would you assign that? Song to a female in your contacts. I've never. I've never found out the answer. As I said they. Were an acquaintance I. Didn't feel like I could ask. 

Yeah. You know, you're not familiar enough with them to investigate that further. 

Not familiar enough to ask the question. But I thought that would actually be if. If you were still friends with your ex. That would be a great ringtone to assign. To your ex. 

What's your assumption? 

On their relationship, though, do you think that obviously they'd split up and? They're quite cordial. 

They'd split up and I don't know, maybe maybe they have shared interest. Maybe there was. There's a shared custody arrangement or something like that, and they're on speaking terms. But that maybe, but maybe this person sort of in their mind is like, it's so annoying. 

So they're well, they're X. How many times did they? Phone. Did you hear that ringtone? 

I heard it a few times. I'm not enough. Go. I wonder why they beside that? 

I've got I I. 

Can't handle people who are still friends with. 

Well, I'm just assuming it was their ex. 

I just don't think it's a thing like. 

It might not have even. Been their ex, but I thought that. Would make sense if it was. Their ex. 

I think there's a line in the sand like you should be deleting them from your contact. Don't. Yeah. And, well, you're gonna give to them a ringtone. And that's too much. Like, don't do. 

And what are they gonna? 

Give to you. 

You understand? 

That, yes, well, there's thought that goes into that. Isn't it 3? 

Exactly. And you should be giving them another thought you should be. 

Men's haters. 

Getting on with your life because they probably are. 

Anyway, I was glad the BOP to hear as a ringtone and it did break up the day. It was nice to have some DMX breaking up the day, but it brought. 

Good well. 

More questions than answers, to be honest. 

Well, yeah, then. Well, you're not friends, so you couldn't really. 

No, no, I can't. Anyway. So he was also DMX. Not not the, not the acquaintance. Yes. He was in movies as well. He was in Romeo must. 

Probably probe OK, yes. Yes, please can we get back on? Topic. That'd be good. Awesome. 

That wounds cradle to the grave last star. 

Cradles was great as good movie like that. 

Movie he was in and out of gaol. More than 30. Times, yeah. What for I. I think a lot of it was like. Stealing cars, burglary. I think it's so. 

Yeah. So, so it's gonna take it from. You like your car? 

Yeah, thanks. Can I misbehave a bit? He also claimed that he became addicted to crack cocaine when he was just 14 years old after someone tricked him into smoking marijuana. 

That's a bit naughty. 

Yeah, that's not. That's not helpful. 

Laced with the drug. 

And he did have a lot of problems with drugs over the years, entered rehab several times, 2000 and two 20/17/2019. I think he also ended up having to cancel concerts to actually go into, into rehab, so. 

I think it was quite tragic for him in later years, after all, that success that he's achieved, he just kind of went off. 

Yeah, yeah. 

And he has. 

The rails didn't. 

He had an overdose one time as well, and they managed to resuscitate him. What is it that they give you to sort of start your heart again? 

Ohh like is it not adrenaline or Narcan or something to that effect? Yeah. 

Something. Yes, yes, something like that. To to to bring him. And and they did. It was a bit touch and go, but then in I think it was 2021, April 2021, he was rushed to hospital where he was reported to be in a critical condition following a heart attack at his home. Then on the morning of April 9th, so a week later, he lost functionality in multiple organs and was pronounced dead shortly after aged just 50. 

Ohh dear. 

It was later revealed in July that. His official cause of death was a cocaine induced heart attack. I remember when this it was so shocking. It was ohh so tragic. 

Well, it's it's only 50, but I mean this is the cocaine's a hell of a drug. Like this happens to people who do that stuff that's, you know, you. 

What a waste, though such a talent. 

Yeah. Anyway, that's a really sad note to end 2003 on. Except it was his birthday. So. So back in 2003, he's probably having heaps of cocaine and having a really good time. 

You see. 

Have a good time on the 18th of December, but RIP. 

Alright. Well, that's it. Yes. OK, DMX, happy birthday and rest in peace. So that is the end for this week. We are done next week. Stick around. Come back for more. We're gonna go over the best bit. So we're gonna. 

Ohh summer programme. 

Yeah, summer programming. We're gonna do the summer programming. 

We're just gonna replace and it's something. That we prepared earlier cause we're lazy. Great. Well no. 

But we have. 

Consistently delivered an episode every single week for over 2 1/2. 

Years, yes, I know. But we used the term best quite loosely. 

Well, best of the worst of, I don't know. We're just gonna. We're gonna go and pick some stuff. Yes, we're gonna pick up our retrospective scope and have a look through it and go. Oh, that's probably alright. You might wanna hear that again. Yeah. And you know. 

That'll do. We had a. Good time at that point. 

And and that might be the they. Might be really good entry episodes for your friends, so you should tell them about T minus. 20 as well. 

Gurantee yes. 

Yeah, I'll be like, and then they'll be like, well, if that's the best, they. Could do I'm. Out. OK. But we do thank you for joining. Us that was a big episode today. 

I know it was supposed to be. An easy one, but there's a lot, wasn't. 

Yeah, well, there's lots of bits and pieces. I know, I know. And like, like, each and every week, we're gonna give it to you, so make sure you tune in next week, cause we'll give it to you then, and we'll keep giving it to you as long as you keep listening to us. Thank you very much. Go and find us on the socials. 

It well, there was a. Lot of things that happened in 2003. 

As well, don't forget Facebook, Instagram, tick tock. See you next week. 

Thanks for taking the time to rewind. Join us next time for another week. That was 20 years ago. In the mean time, come and reminisce on the socials search for T -, 20 podcasts on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.